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Children's Bluebird Activity Book

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fascinating facts © puzzles © pictures © coloring © Stories Children’s Bluebird CTIVITY OOK A B MYRNA PEARMAN and PAULINE MOUSSEAU credits © 2007 Myrna Pearman and Pauline Mousseau Reproduction of this booklet is permitted for educational, non-commercial use provided appropriate acknowledgement is made. Copyright for photographs are held by individual photographers as credited on the proceeding page. Publisher Mountain Bluebird Trails, Inc. Box 794 Ronan, MT 59864 Writing: Myrna Pearman Graphic Design and Layout: Pauline Mousseau Our thanks to the following reviewers: • Bob Niebuhr • Dr. Harry Power, III • Donna Hagerman • Nicole Bailey • Erv Davis • Maddison Pearman • Brandee Massey • Kristi Dubois, (Native Species Coordinator, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks) • Kathern Mounteer • Gene Pyles Funded by Funding for this project was generously provided by the Thomas and Stacey Siebel Foundation. To learn more about this foundation visit: www.siebelscholars.com Dedication Dedicated to the memory of Art Aylesworth, founder of Mountain Bluebird Trails, Inc., and whose dream it was to inspire the next generation of bluebirders. 2 photo credits All photos are used with permission. Photos in booklet are by Myrna Pearman, unless noted below: Front Cover: Top right, Maridith Denton Page 5: Bottom, Lorne Scott Page 7: Tom Ulrich Page 8: Jane Brockway Page 9 Top left, Don Marble and top right, Lorne Scott Page 15: Jane Brockway Page 17: Top and middle, Lorne Scott Page 20: Top, Jane Brockway Page 26: Middle, Jane Brockway Page 27: All pictures on page, Jane Brockway Page 28: Top, Scott Johnson and middle, Jane Brockway Illustrations Illustrations by Gary Ross (from Mountain Bluebird Trail Monitoring Guide, used with permission by Red Deer River Naturalists) Coloring Illustrations by Nicole Ruuska, www.nicoleruuska.com 3 what’s inside Topic Page Introduction to Bluebirds…………………………. 5 Types of Bluebirds………………………………… 6 Two Species Up Close.……………………………. 7 Bluebird Ranges…………………………………... 8 What’s for Supper? ………………………………. 9 Home Sweet Home………………………………. 10 Story of Cavity Nesters ………..………………… 11 Bluebird Songs and Calls………………………….. 14 Splish Splash………………………………………. 15 A Year in the Life of a Mountain Bluebird………… 16 See How They Grow………………..……………. 19 Fascinating Facts………………………………….. 20 Story of Bruce and Bob ………...………………... 23 Problems Facing Bluebirds………………………... 25 How Can We Help? ………………………………. 26 Mountain Bluebird Trails, Inc.……………………... 28 Nestbox Plan…...…………………………………. 29 Test Your Bluebird Know How……………………. 30 Word Search……………………………………… 31 Meet Other Cavity Nesters …………………...…. 32 Color Your Own Bluebirds……………………….. 35 Bluebird Resources……………………………….. 38 Answer Key……………………………………….. 39 4 introduction to bluebirds Introduction to Bluebirds Bluebirds are among the most beautiful and well-loved of all bird species. They are bright blue in color, gentle in nature and have a wonderful soft warbling song. They are also one of the first birds to arrive back in Montana in the spring. That first flash of bright blue in late February or early March means that winter is finally over! Because of their beautiful color and interesting habits, people have always held “The bluebird carries the sky on its back. “ bluebirds in high regard. For many people, - Henry David Thoreau bluebirds are associated with peace, happiness and all things good. Many songs and poems have been written about bluebirds. Bluebirds are also of interest to people because they will nest in nestboxes. We’ll tell you all about nestboxes in this booklet. We’ll also tell you lots of other great information about bluebirds—where they live, what they eat, and how they go about their daily lives. You will also learn about the people who volunteer their time to help them. We hope that, by the time you’ve read through this booklet you too will be inspired to help them! “Spring is on its way!” Fast fact The Mountain Bluebird is the official state bird of Idaho and Nevada. 5 types of bluebirds Types of Bluebirds Mountain Bluebird male There are three species of bluebirds in North America, the Eastern Bluebird, the Western Bluebird and the Mountain Bluebird. All belong to a family of birds, the thrushes (Tu rd i a e ), which are well known the world over for their singing ability. American Robins also belong to this family. All three species of bluebirds can be easily recognized by their blue coloration. However, only the Mountain Bluebird is completely blue. Its Eastern and Western cousins are additionally colored with rusty red breasts. The females of all three species are less brightly colored than the males, showing bright blue in their wing and tail feathers only when they fly. Mountain Bluebird female Western Bluebird male Eastern Bluebird male Western Bluebird female Eastern Bluebird female 6 two species up close Here are two close up pictures of the Western and Eastern bluebird species. Can you spot the differences between these two very similar species? What common theme occurs in each picture? Western Bluebird male Western Bluebird female Eastern Bluebird male Eastern Bluebird female 7 bluebird ranges North American Range Bluebirds in Montana Eastern Bluebirds are found Although all three species in the southeastern part of of bluebirds are found in Canada and through the Montana during the nesting eastern United States. season, by far the most common species across the Western Bluebirds are found state is the Mountain along the western edge of Bluebird. North America. Majestic Montana terrain While Mountain Bluebirds do Home for Mountain Bluebirds nest at high elevations, in is an area found between the Montana they are most that they live in other two species. Mountain commonly found in the habitat created by fires. Bluebirds, unlike what their evergreen savannah lands of Western Bluebirds nest in name suggests, are not the foothills and mountains. the western part of Montana restricted to mountainous Mountain Bluebirds are while Eastern Bluebirds are areas. considered to be fire found along the eastern edge successional species, meaning of the State. 8 what’s for supper? “The kids are going to love tonight’s grub of tasty mealworms!” Hovering above looking for dinner Bluebird Menu Bluebirds are insect eaters, feeding mainly on spiders and insects. Some of their favorite insects include grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, beetles, mealworms, moths, butterflies, dragonflies, bees, and ants. During periods of cold or snowy weather, bluebirds will switch their diet to include berries and fruit. Bluebirds will catch their prey on the wing or hunt for it while walking on the ground. However, they most often find their food by scanning the ground while sitting on a perch (usually a branch, bush or fence post). They will also hunt on the ground and hover in mid-air, like helicopters, looking for ground-dwelling insects to feed on. Mountain Bluebirds hover much more frequently than the other two species. It is thought that they are such good hoverers because they tend to live in windier areas. As it does with airplanes, wind provides lift, making hovering easier. Spiders make up a large part of a bluebird diet 9 home sweet home Bluebird Homes Birds are fascinating for many reasons. One of the most interesting things about them is how they nest. When it comes to nesting, birds have hundreds of different nesting techniques. For example: hawks and eagles build large stick nests in trees; warblers and most other songbird species weave small grass nests hidden in trees or shrubs; loons build floating nests in open water; and killdeer and other shorebirds lay their eggs on the ground. Bluebirds, unlike all of the other birds just described, have to nest somewhere that Killdeer nest on the ground provides them with a “roof” and a “door.” In other words, they need to nest in a hole! Biologists call these holes cavities. Most songbirds nest in open cup nests Mountain bluebirds use natural cavities 10 story of cavity nesters The Story of Cavity Nesters Cavity-nesting birds nest inside a cavity, or hole. This hole could be in a tree, in a clay bank, in the wall or eave of a building, or even in a piece of machinery. Cavities make excellent nest sites because they keep the birds dry and warm, and protect them from most predators. There are two types of cavity-nesting birds: primary cavity nesters and secondary cavity nesters. Primary Cavity Nesters A primary cavity-nesting bird is one that Woodpecker — the carpenter of the forest can excavate (dig out) its own nest site. The most common primary cavity nesters in western North American What is A Territory? are woodpeckers. (Chickadees and If you were a bird, your house and yard, acreage, nuthatches can also peck out their own farm or ranch would be your family’s territory. nest sites.) While live trees are In the bird world, territories are the areas that sometimes used to excavate cavities, the a pair of birds considers to be “theirs and theirs most commonly used trees are dead or alone” while they raise family. They defend these dying (called snags). areas from other birds, sometimes other birds Because of their ability to peck wood, of the same species, and sometimes other birds woodpeckers are often called the of the same sex of the same species. “carpenters of the forest.” They aren’t Some birds have very small territories (e.g., eating the wood, of course, they are just Tree Swallows only defend a territory right pecking into the wood to find insects or around their actual nest) while others have very dig out a nesting or large territories (e.g., Northern Flickers defend roosting (sleeping) cavity. a 40-acre area). Woodpeckers will also peck on wood to Territories are usually kept only during the make a loud noise. This noise attracts a nesting season; once the young are able to mate and lets other woodpeckers know survive on their own, their parents no longer about the edges of their territories.
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